This first poster for Star Trek takes you Into Darkness

Metaphorical darkness, that is. The darkness of destruction, pain, and loss.

With a first trailer (or nine minute preview, depending on which version of the film you see) set to appear in front of THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY in less than two weeks, J.J. Abrams is finally about to reveal just what trials and tribulations (Tribbleations?) he and his creative team have cooked up for the second adventure with their new crew of the Starship Enterprise. And today's poster goes a long way towards supporting what last week's plot synopsis confirmed and the overall title implied: that Kirk and Co. are going to be put through the ringer. They're going to be challenged. It's not going to be easy. And just who will be left alive after it all falls out is anybody's guess.

STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS lets loose a whole swath of first-time footage on December 14th, and then returns the Enterprise to cinemas in full on May 17th, 2013.